Chapter 11
Chapter 11 in William Golding's Lord Of The Flies starts off with Ralph and Piggy ranting about Jack, how he has messed up everything since they've got on the island. They decide to call on assembly to see who's still loyal to Ralph and what is to be done about Piggy's stolen glasses. Piggy, Ralph, and Samneric conclude that Piggy is to be lead to the savages' camp and will give the savages a piece of his mind. Meanwhile, Ralph gives Piggy his dignity back by letting him carry the conch. as soon as they get close to Castle Rock, The savages' base, Roger immediately spots them, and Ralph is inclined to blow the conch, to call another meeting. Out of recognition, more savages show there faces; as a result, Jack comes out of the forest, returning from a hunt, painted and menacing. Ralph demands to have Piggy's glasses returned to him, and reacting to that statement, Jack attacks him. Ralph demands a second time to have Piggy's glasses returned to him, and acting on impulse, Jack orders Samneric to be tied up, which broke Ralph's temper and Ralph attacks Jack. As soon as the fighting subsides Piggy reminds the savages what his ultimate goal is; to start a fire and get rescued. The savages immediately dismiss the idea, and cue Roger to send the giant rock on Piggy and Ralph. Ralph dodges the rock, but the blinded Piggy gets hit by the full force of the rock. As a result, Piggy tumbles to his death and gets sucked out to sea. Jack, realizing what he did, steps up and proclaims himself chief of the island, and once again attacks Ralph. Ralph flees and Jack, with help from his enforcer,Roger, convince Samneric to join the tribe. In chapter 11, Ralph is at a breaking point with Jack for many reasons. In previous Chapters, Jack has diminished sure hope of rescue by keeping the fire smoking while a ship passed by. Later on Jack makers a big deal about killing a pig and starts his own tribe, separate from the other boys. Ralph gets annoyed at this since there is no fresh meat supply for him and the others, and his vision of a perfect civilized society is ruined. Later Simon finds that the beast is not real but while trying to tell the boys he is killed amongst the ritual. The savages one night decide to attack the remaining opposition which leads to the theft of Piggy's glasses, symbolizing the loss of intelligence on the island. While confronting Jack about his issues Ralph snaps and attacks Jack but gets held back by Piggy's logic, Piggy is killed by a giant rock resulting in the loss of the voice of reason on the island. Ralph must then run for his life because Jack and the rest of the savages want complete control of the island. In this chapter, Ralph realizes what role Piggy plays on the island and how important him and thew conch are to society. Piggy symbolizes intelligence and the voice of reason since he gives advice to Ralph on what to do and is always questioning the morals and decision that the other boys make. Piggy constantly reminds Ralph that the fire is the only hope of rescue, and he questions why the savages attacked him and the others. He doesn't understand why most the boys have become what they did. When attacked during the night Piggy believes that the boys have come for the conch but they have actually come for his glasses. The stealing of his glasses represents the intelligence succumbing to savagery, since Piggy can no longer see as well as he used to. Piggy's death is the most important death in the novel. Piggy is the only thing that connects the boys back to the civilized world. Without Piggy on the island the boys would have become savage much faster. Piggy also is Ralph's adviser since he has intelligence that Ralph lacks. Piggy understands how a civilization runs and is the undercover leader of the island, considering everything Ralph does is because of what Piggy tells him to do. Piggy is the Superego of the story, since he bases his decisions on what will be good for everybody. When confronting Jack he still tried to reason with him even though things were already turning violent just so nobody got hurt. When Piggy dies his brains pour out of his head, this represents that he had brains and was highly intelligent, with this the intelligence on the island leaves with him. Symbolism: When an object or person represents something else. The breaking of the conch symbolizes the loss of civilization and order. Before the savages left, the conch was used to call meetings and gave Ralph power over the other boys. The conch represents structure, since whoever had the conch had the right to speak. Foreshadowing: Giving a clue to what is to happen in the future. Things in earlier chapters foreshadow what happens in chapter 11. For example, in chapter 10, Golding includes the scene where the savages are showing Roger the rock contraption to foreshadow how Piggy would be killed. In chapter 8, Jack sharpens a spear on both ends and places the head of a hog as an offering to the beast. This foreshadows what Jack wants to do to Ralph later in the novel. When Roger throws rocks at Henry earlier in the book it shows that Roger is truly a dark person that enjoys inflicting pain and that he will do Jack's dirty work. Microcosm: when a large world problem is put into a smaller place. The island in the story is a microcosm of today's society. Many of the problems that are evident on the island are in our society today. Mutiny is a problem that today's society is facing. The boys are mutinous and turn against Ralph and the others, forming their own society with different standards. Bullying is also prevalent on the island, like it is in today's society. Piggy is bullied throughout the novel, since he is weak and fat. Like in today's world bullying determines who's in the power on the island. Quotes: " Well, we won't be painted," said Ralph, " because we aren't savages"(Golding 172). When Ralph plans to go shaved, bathed, and not painted he was showing Jack and the rest of the savages that they were civilized and above being savages. "Piggy fell forty feet and landed on his back across the square red rock in the sea. His head opened and stuff came out and turned red" (Golding 181). This shows that the intelligence of Piggy is pouring out of his head and is leaving the island with him. "See? See? That's what you'll get! I meant that! There isn't a tribe for you anymore! The conch is gone-" (Golding 181). Jack is telling Ralph that since the conch is gone civilization has been thrown out the window and if you try to resist his rule you will end up dead, like Piggy.